Also the books of:
James
1st and 2nd Peter
1st, 2nd, & 3rd John
Jude
The Hebrew Christian Epistles
• The Hebrew Christian Epistles are distinctive in that not one of them is addressed to a church.
• The last eight epistles is addressed to a church.
• These include disturbing warnings which seem to contrast with the assurances of the
church epistles
-- Romans 8 vs. Hebrews 6 & 10;
-- Ephesians 2 & Philippians 1 vs. 2 Peter 1
• We find in these epistles they seem to be in contrast to some of the assurances that we received in the Church Epistles.
– We look at Romans 8 and you compare that with Hebrews 6 & 10 and that can raise some questions.
– We look at Ephesians 2 and Philippians 1 and compare that with 2 Peter 1 and that raises some questions.
Widely misunderstood:
• There really is no conflict between these scriptures, it seems that way on the surface.
A conspicuous Jewish cast:
Hebrews (“fathers” and “us”); James (“12 tribes scattered abroad”); and Peter’s: “the sojourners of the dispersion”); etc.
There is no mention of the mystery of the Body of Christ; members who have died and risen with Christ;
Jews and Gentiles being one new spiritual organism;
Nothing of sitting together “in the heavenllies with Christ.”
Contrast between the out-and-out guarantee of Romans 8 and the disturbing warnings of Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-29!…between the lovely reassurances of Ephesians 2:7-10, Philippians 1:6 and warnings of 2 Peter 1:10, Revelation 2:5, 3:5.
Why did God create us?
…for individual fellowship with Himself.
They lead to the First Epistle of John…
The Epistle to the Hebrews
The epistle to the Hebrews attends an even higher ground: the distinctives of the Priesthood of Christ vs. the priesthood of the covenant.
The Lord’s priesthood began after He offered Himself on the cross. In Leviticus the priest only offered what had already been sacrificed (Lev 1:2-5).
Aaron did not wear his high-priestly garments until the already-slain burn offering was on the altar: (Lev 16:23, 24).
[The Passover Lamb was before Aaron was appointed; offered by the head of household; not a Levitical offering! (Exodus 24:5, et al.)]
“Blood of the new covenant”:
A once-and-for-all never-to-be-repeated redemption sacrifice.
The Problem:
The Temple was still standing in the way.
• This is one of the greatest theological treatises in the New Testament.
– The first one was the book of Romans.
• Israel is not a subset of the “nations”
– Israel is a contrast and a focus.
If you think of Israel and then all the nations as two in balance, you’re closer to the perspective.
– The Epistle to the Hebrews stands as sort of the Leviticus of the New Testament.
• Christ supercedes and fulfills all of the elements of the Aaronic priesthood, etc.
• When a Gentile reads the book of Hebrews, we need to visualize ourselves as a Jewish Christian that had come to Jesus Christ during the during the first 70 years of that time.
• The Temple was still standing.
The Jewish Dilemma:
A Divinely Appointed Religion;
• Imagine yourself a Jew that has accepted Christ but you now realize that you have a divinely appointed religion, with divinely appointed priests officiating in a divinely appointed temple, accomplishing a divinely ordered service that had been practiced for centuries.
That’s what you have given up.
• How could believing priests and Pharisees remain “zealous of the Law”?
• It was the Jewish religious world that crucified Jesus and it was them who were still repudiating Him.
Facing Persecution:
• Realize that the persecutions during the first century didn’t come from the Romans...
• The first persecutions came from the Jewish leadership.
• We should try to understand the peculiar predicament of a Jewish believer while the temple was still operating.
• The Church in Jerusalem:
– Already had lost Stephen Acts 7:59,60
– James the Apostle, the leader of the Church had been killed in 62 A.D., he was executed Acts 12:2
– There are many others Acts 8:1-3, 26:10
• The churches in Galatia were in the same turmoil being attacked by the local Jewish authorities. Galatians 1:22
• So as a resort, many of these Jewish believers were tempted to go back to (temporary) Judaism (apostasy) to avoid persecution.
Author’s Objectives
The author of the book of Hebrews could be Paul;
• Who is trying to combat possible apostasy by these believers (Hebrews 2:1-4; 10:19-25).
• He wants to encourage them to press on to spiritual maturity (Hebrews 5:11-14; 10:32- 39).
• He wants to comfort them in their persecutions (Hebrews 11:1-12:3).
Author’s Method
The author wants to show his audience that Jesus Christ is superior to all!
• The superiority of the Messiah to the three pillars of Judaism:
Christ is superior to Angels...
Christ is superior to Moses...
Christ is superior to Levitical priesthood.
The writer points out that Jesus Christ, eclipses all of these.
• The writer is not trying to draw attention to himself, but is arguing the Jewish scriptures the way a Rabbi would.
• This stands or falls on it’s Rabbinical logic.
• He deviates from his logical arguments on 5 occasions to issue a special warning.
• The Contrasts:
• Is not between bad and good (both are from God);
• But between good and better.
The Epistle to the Hebrews:
Christ—Is The New & Living Way
• Jesus:
The New and Better Deliverer Hebrews 1-7
– The God-man: is better than the Angels Hebrews 1, 2
– An Apostle better than Moses Hebrews 3
– A Leader better than Joshua Hebrews 4:1-13
– A Priest better than Aaron Hebrews 4:14-17
• Calvary:
A New and Better Covenant Hebrews 8-9:18
– Offers better Promises
– Opens a better Sanctuary
– Sealed by a better Sacrifice
– Achieves far better Results
• Faith:
The True and Better Response Hebrews 9:19-23
– Parting words Hebrews 13:22-25
The Son is the Final Revealer: Hebrews 1:1-3
• He is the heir of all things.
• Through the Son the ages were made.
• He is the brightness of God’s glory.
• He is the image of the Father.
• He upholds all things by His power.
• He made purification of sin.
• He sat down next to the Majesty on High.
The Son is Superior to the Angels:
• He created the angels.
• By Virtue of His Deity Hebrews 1:4-14
• By Virtue of His Humanity Hebrews 2:5-9
– The earth was given to Adam, and was to have dominion over all of the earth but he forfeited it to Satan.
– Jesus had to become a “kinsman redeemer” to win it back as a man.
• By Virtue of His Salvation He provided Hebrews 2:10-18
The Son’s Superiority: by virtue of His Deity—Hebrews 1:4-14
• The Son’s position is unique Psalm 2:7
• The Son is the head of the Davidic Covenant 2 Samuel 7:14
• Angels worship the Son Psalm 97:7
• Angels serve the Son Psalm 104:4
• The Son is to rule the Kingdom Psalm 45:7-8
• The Son is the Creator Psalm 102:25-27
• The Son is enthroned at the right hand of God Psalm 110:1
Seven citations from the Old Testament.
The Son’s Superiority: His Humanity—Hebrews 2:5-9
• Sovereignty over the Earth is promised to man, and not to angels (Genesis 1:26, 27).
• God gave man dominion over the earth (Psalm 8:5-7).
• Man lost it through sin to Satan and his angels.
• The Messiah regained dominion for Man;
Man will be associated with Him in rule.
It was Promised to man, who is created a little lower than the angels and given dominion.
But (today) it is ruled by angels…
The Son’s Superiority: His Salvation—Hebrews 2:10-18
• To manifest His divine grace (Hebrews 2:10-13; Citing Ps 22:22; Isaiah 8:17-18).
• To overcome the Prince of Death (Hebrews 2:14).
• To free the believer from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15).
• To help man (Hebrews 2:16-18).
The Son’s superiority over angels: by virtue of the kind of salvation He provided.
He chose to bypass fallen angels.
He gives four reasons for the incarnation and the cross:
1) The Messiah became a man so that the sanctifier and the sanctified could be united and He could call them brethren. Cited are Psalm 22:22 and Isaiah 8:17-18 to show the Messiah’s identification with man.
2) By means of death He rendered Satan’s power inoperative as far as believers are concerned.
3) The fear of death enslaves. For the believer, death is no longer a punishment, but a means to enter heaven.
4) The sphere of the Messiah’s work was man not angels.
Son Greater than Moses—Hebrews 3:1-4:13
• Person and Work (Hebrews 3:1-4).
• Position (Hebrews 3:5-6).
• Warning against Disobedience (Hebrews 3:7-11).
– Cf. Psalm 95:7-11.
They failed at Kadesh Barnea to enter from the report of 12 men [vs. report of 12 apostles!].
The very people God rescued from Egypt blew it.
• They had been saved but they did not enter into the benefit of their salvation.
– Enter into the present rest: Spiritual Maturity.
Greater than Aaronic Priesthood—Hebrews 4:14-10:18
• A Better Position (Hebrews 4:14-18). Heavenly rather than earthly
• A Better Priest (Hebrews 5:1-10). Divinely Appointed (Psalm 2:7; 110:4).
• Warning: Progress to Maturity (Hebrews 5:11-6:20).
They need to take in a more mature material.
• Returning to Judaism is not an option.
• They need to advance beyond the first principles, which is repentance from dead works.
Repentance from dead works:
• Commitment to Messiahship, resurrection from the dead, and Eternal Judgement.
Hebrews 6:4-6 widely misunderstood;
• This has been a doctrinal battleground between Calvinists and Arminianists for centuries…
A Need for Progression
• Need to advance beyond the first principles
– Repentance from dead works
– Commitment to the Messiahship of Jesus
– Resurrection of the Dead
– Eternal Judgment: Great White Throne
• These people need to be settled in their hearts once and for all to advance to maturity.
An Option Denied: Hebrews 6:4-6
• These were saved believers who:
Were “Once enlightened”;
Who had, “Tasted of the heavenly gift”;
Who were “Partakers of the Holy Spirit”;
Who had, “Tasted the good Word of God”;
Who had, “Tasted the powers of the age to come.”
An Option That They Do Not Have:
• The option they do not have is to temporarily give up their salvation, or to go back to Judaism until the persecution subsides, and then be saved later (assuming that this later salvation would erase their sin of apostasy).
• This would require a recrucifixion of Jesus, for it would mean that His first death was insufficient to save to the uttermost.
• It is impossible for those who have experienced these five spiritual privileges to lose their salvation to be regained later.
Only Two Options Available
• Go back to Judaism (confirming their immaturity), be subject to the judgment of 70 A.D., a physical death now and the loss of rewards later.
• Or make their clean break from Judaism once and for all and press on to maturity.
They can still celebrate the Feasts and so forth, but not under the Law they do it as a celebration.
Responsibility of the Believer
• To produce works which accompany salvation (Hebrews 6:9-12)
• Illustration from nature:
Hebrews 6:7-8):
The rain falls on all the earth (believers);
• Some produce fruit; some do not.
• Fruitfulness will be rewarded;
• Fruitlessness will be judged.
• Thorns and thistles are burned;
• The land is not burned (1 Corinthians 3:10-15).
Meaning the man’s works are burned, but the man isn’t.
Learn the Bible in 24 Hours - Hour 20 - Small Groups - Chuck Missler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kron8S_h0Ds&index=20&list=PLRj8AJuzeJRwHdeFua3pzmwPB_JCS0mIq
The Priesthood of Melchizedek: Hebrews 7:1-28
• Melchizedek was a man. Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was,...
“Without father. That is, as the Syriac renders, 'Whose father and mother are not inscribed among the genealogies; and therefore it was not known who he was.”
A side note:
• Nowhere does it say that Abram bowed before Melchizedek, or took off his shoes nor did he pay homage to Melchizedek, as he did in Genesis 18.
• Genesis 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,...
• Melchizedek was a Priest and a King of that area (Genesis 14).
• That’s different than the Mosaic world.
• Under Moses the Levites were priests, but under Judah was the royal line.
• They never mixed.
• Also, Melchizedek received tithes from Abraham.
And here the writer makes a strange kind of logic, let’s follow the logic.
• Levi had not been born yet, but he (the writer of Hebrews) regards Levi since he was still in the loins of Abraham, was giving tithes to Melchizedek.
• While Moses and Aaron are still “in his loins”).
• So, since Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, that meant that Melchizedek was regarded as being higher than Abraham.
• Levi had not been born yet, which makes him even more subservient to Melchizedek
(which was to be a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ over the Mosaic Law) because his great, great, great grandfather gave tithes to Melchizedek.
• A hierarchy is being created here,
• Melchizedek has no genealogy (versus the Aaronic priesthood).
• It doesn’t mean that he didn’t have a birth and death, it just means that it’s not recorded.
• Meaning that his priesthood, is independent of a genealogy.
• It is Timeless: it has no beginning nor an end recording vs. Levitical priests: 25 – 50 (Numbers
8:24-25).
• Melchizedek’s priesthood is all inclusive, he wasn’t just a king to the Jews, he’s a priest and king to all, period!
Thus, he was a type of the Son of God.
[Yet, he was only a type:
• Melchizedek is not Shem, whose genealogy was known;
• Melchizedek is not an angel, he was an earthly king, who lived.
• Melchizedek is not a theophany, a pre-incarnate Christ: he was a man.]
Melchizedek Replaces the Aaronic Priesthood
• A Levitical Priesthood could never achieve perfection
• Another (non-Levitical) order through David was predicted (Psalm 110:4).
Another order which in non-Levitical, Melchizedek is a higher order than Levi.
• A Levitical priesthood is temporary.
• In that it was weak and could not impart strength to fulfill its demands; it could not bring perfection.
A Better Covenant: Hebrews 8:1-13
• Mosaic Covenant destined to be replaced by a superior one (Jeremiah 31:31-3).
• The New Covenant: Better Promises, Better Priesthood, Better Sanctuary, Better Sacrifice.
• The New Testament is the New Covenant.
• The Mosaic Covenant was just a model of better things to come.
A Better Sanctuary: Hebrews 9:1-10
• The limitations of the old temporary sanctuary, which was only a restricted representative copy, is contrasted with the heavenly actual.
• Only one man, out of one tribe, out of one nation, one race, could enter, and only on one day in the year, and not without blood.
• It was temporary, limited, and inadequate.
A Better Sacrifice: Hebrews 9:11-10:18
• The Mosaic covenant was inadequate; and it required repetition.
• Animal blood:
• The sins were covered, but not removed.
• Only obedience brings perfection (Psalm 40:6-8).
• Only the Messiah can impart perfection:
The Mosaic sacrifices were never intended to be permanent.
Contrasts
Levitical Priests Messiah
Many priests One
Standing Sitting (finished)
Daily One specific day
Repeated Once for all
Many sacrifices Only one
Temporary Permanent
Covered sins Took sins away
The Danger of Willful Sin: Hebrews 10:26-31
• If they now apostatize from the faith...
• And once and for all return to Judaism, there remains no more sacrifice for their sin (Cf. Heb 10:23-25 vs. 10:26-29).
• It is a rejection of the work of the Trinity
• God will judge His people Deuteronomy 32:35-36
• It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hall of Faith: Hebrews 11
Abel: He gave an offering of blood which is the only way.
Enoch: Who had faith through fellowship; he didn’t die.
Noah: He had faith through obedience which saved his family.
Abraham: He departed, becoming a foreigner in a strange land, and the miraculous
birth of Isaac. His willingness to sacrifice Isaac, he was convinced that God would
raise him back to life. He blessed Jacob and Esau, believing the prophecies.
Sarah: Believed and received the prophesy of Isaac.
Jacob: He blessed the two sons of Joseph.
Joseph: By requesting that his bones be taken and interred in Israel.
The parents of Moses, hiding Moses against the law of Pharaoh; Moses, by refusing to be called son of Pharaoh’s daughter, etc.
Moses kept the first Passover.
Plus Joshua, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel…and the Prophets:
Hebrews 11:35-40
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed
valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received
their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting
deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had
trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and
imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted,
were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was
not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and
caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through
faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for
us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
...”they...received not the promise“...
Exhortation to Endurance
Hebrews 12:1,2
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before
him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God.
Summary:
The Five Warnings
• The Danger of Drifting Hebrews 2:1-4
• The Danger of Disobedience Hebrews 3:7-4:13
• Progress toward Maturity Hebrews 5:11-6:20
– Interim apostasy is not an option
• The Danger of Willful Sin Hebrews 10:26-31
• Warning against Indifference Hebrews 12:25-29
– In light of Better Blood in a Better Place
Yakov’s (James) Letter to the 12 Tribes
• Hebrew Yakov; Greek Iakobos; English Jacob, or James.
• James was the half-brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19).
• James was an unbeliever during the lifetime of Jesus (John 7:2-5).
• James became a believer after the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7).
• James was married (1 Corinthians 9:5).
• James was the leader of the Church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-21; 21:17-26).
He shares the same name as the famous individual in Genesis.
• [1 Corinthians 9:5 is also a rebuttal to the notion that Jesus was married.
“The Magdalene Heresy.”et al.]
• James seems to have prominence in first-century Messianic Jewish history.
• A discovery in Israel (at the Tomb of David:
• James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem. Robert Fisher, Children of God (the
symbol of the early church was a menorah over Magen David and a cross.
James/Jacob
• When Peter released from prison, he instructed them to tell James (Acts 12:17).
• Issued the verdict of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:13-21)
• Issued the proclamation of Gentile Christianity (Acts 15:22-29).
• Paul reported to him upon arrival (Acts 21:17-26).
• Name used without permission by the Judaizers (Galatians 2:12).
• James was executed in 62 A.D.
• Written no later than 62 A.D. following the reign of Festus (60-62A.D.), in a brief lull in Roman authority before the new Roman governor, Claudius Albinus, took full control.
• A conspiracy led by Annas the Younger, the son of the high priest Annas, illegally arranged for the execution of James in A.D. 62.
The Epistle of Jacob (James):
Was written to the Twelve Tribes of the Dispersion
Conduct, not Creed;
Behavior, not Belief;
Deeds, not Doctrine.
12 Tribes:
10 are not “lost. ”
“Dispersion” is a technical term for Jews living outside of the Land
108 verses: 54 imperative verbs!.
Closes with an appeal to restore those who may have failed the tests (James 5:19-20):
• Endurance of Faith
– Outward Trials & Inward Temptations Ch. 1:2-18
• Tests of the Genuineness of Faith
– Response to the Word of God Ch. 1:19-27
– Response to social distinctions Ch. 2:1-13
– Production of good works Ch. 2:14-26
– Exercise of self-control Ch. 3:1-18
– Reaction to worldliness Ch. 4:1-5:12
– Resort to prayer in all circumstances Ch. 5:12-18
Faith Without Works?
James 2:18-20
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith
without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest
that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Rich Mullins song:
“Faith without works is as useless as screen door on a submarine…”
First Epistle of 1st Peter:
To the Elect Sojourners of the Dispersion
• The Status of the Believer 1 Peter 1-2:10
– Foreknowledge of God
– Unto Obedience of Faith
– The Living Stone (to the Remnant)
• Stone of Stumbling, Rock of Offense (to the non-Remnant): Cf. Psalm 118:22;
1 Corinthians 10:4; Romans 9:33
• The Pilgrim Life 1 Peter 2:11-4:11
– Citizens, Servants, Marriage
• The Fiery Trial 1 Peter 4:12-5:11
– Rejoice; Commit; Be Vigilant
– Farewell 1 Peter 5:12-14
Living Stone to those who are part of the spiritual House of Israel; but a Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Offense to the nonbelievers; destined to be rejected by leadership [Cf .
Paul’s “Rock” that followed them during the wilderness wanderings: 1 Corinthians 10:4; cf. Romans 9:33.]
Written from Babylon
• Babylon had the highest concentration of Jews outside the land and
was the center of Judaism outside the land.
• Babylonian Talmud was developed there.
• Peter, the Apostle of the Circumcision, would naturally base there.
Code name for Rome? Carried by Silvanus (“Silas”), a professional
secretary: Greek here is much more polished than 2 Peter.
2nd Epistle of Peter
• The Need to Grow Ch. 1
– In Virtue, Knowledge, Self-Control, Patience, Godliness, Kindness,
and Love
– By a “more sure Word of Prophecy”
• False Teachers 2 Peter 2
– Will infect with slander and immorality
– God delivers to or from judgment
• Fallen Angels vs Noah and his family (Genesis 6)
• Sodom & Gomorrah vs Lot and his family (Genesis 19)
• Promise for End-Times 2 Peter 3
– Scoffers of the 2nd Coming
Today’s Heresies
2 Peter 3:3, 4
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking
after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For
since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the
beginning of the creation.
The last days unbelief .....”Where is the promise of His coming“....
Can We Hasten His Coming?
2 Peter 3:2
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat?
NIV: 2 Peter 3:12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming…
NAS: 2 Peter 3:12 looking for and hastening and the coming of the day of God…
How?
– By longing for His appearing 2 Timothy 4:8
– By praying for His appearing Revelation 22:8
– By seeking to win souls Romans 11:25
1st Epistle of John: Seven Contrasts: Truth vs. Error
• The Light vs. The Darkness 1 John 1:5-2:11
• The Father vs. The World 1 John 2:12-2:17
• Christ vs. the Antichrist 1 John 2:18-2:28
• Good Works vs. Evil Works 1 John 2:29-3:24
• Holy Spirit vs. Error 1 John 4:1-4:6
• Love vs. Pious Pretense 1 John 4:7-4:21
• The God-Born vs. others 1 John 5:1-5:21
The Seven Tests
• Of Profession 1 John 1:5-2:11
• Of Desire 1 John 2:12-2:17
• Of Doctrine 1 John 2:18-2:28
• Of Conduct 1 John 2:29-3:24
• Of Discernment 1 John 4:1-4:6
• Of Motive 1 John 4:7-4:21
• Of a New Birth 1 John 5:1-5:21
Heptadic Structure
• Seven Traits of the Born Again.
• 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1 (2X), 4, 18.
• Seven Reasons why this epistle was written.
• 1:3, 4, 2:1, 13-17, 21-24, 26, 5:13.
• Seven Tests of Christian genuineness.
• 1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6, 9, 4:20.
• Seven Tests of Honesty and Reality.
• 1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6, 9; 4:20.
• [Six Liars: 1:6; 1:10;2:4; 2:22; 4:20; 5:10.]
The Spiritual Fundamentals
• All-inclusive commandments: 1 John 3:23
– We believe on Jesus Christ.
– That we love one another.
• A Profession of love for others 1 John 3:17, 18
• The Father’s sacrificing of the Son 1 John 4:10, 11
– Love’s last word
• Perfect love casteth out fear 1 John 4:18
2nd Epistle of John: To the Elect Lady
2 John 1:1,2
The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and
not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; For the truth’s sake,
which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
...”elect lady“...Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Mary was elected by God to be the mother of Jesus.
...”all they that have known the truth“...love her. But not worship her.
...”the truth“...the truth is Jesus.
Who is “the Elect Lady”?
Two theories (from Jerome to the present day!):
a) An idiom for the church?
We are not “children of the church”;
We are the “Church”.
b) Some prominent person in the church at Ephesus presently unknown.
• Who is the most “elect” of all women?
• To whom did Jesus consign the care of His mother? (John 19:26, 27)
• (Why not her own other sons?)
• “…whom I love in the truth, but also all they that have known the truth” (2 John 1:1).
• “that which we had from the beginning…” (2 John 1:6).
• She had a sister (John 19:25).
Some Observations
• Mary was frustrated with Jesus at the age of 12 Luke 2:48
• Jesus dismissive allusion at Cana John 2:4
– (Mary’s last recorded words here.)
• Mary thought that Jesus needed care. Mark 3
• Consigned to John:
– (John, too, had a pushy mom!) Matthew 20:21f
• She, too, needed the Holy Spirit Acts 1:14
• This alters the entire tone of the epistle!
• Mary suffers from both the heretical deification of the Roman Catholics, as well as the dismissal of the Protestants…
• She is somewhere in between both systems, she is to be loved and not deifies, she is a sister in the Lord!
2nd Epistle of John: To the Elect Lady
• Practical: Walk in Love
– The Divine insistence on love 2 John 4, 5
– The Human expression of love 2 John 6
• Doctrinal: Watch Against Error
– Warning against false teaching 2 John 7-9
– Warning against false charity 2 John 10, 11
– Parting comments 2 John 12, 13
• Gnostics denied that Christ could come in the flesh.
• Today some churches deny that He ever can or will come again in the flesh!
3rd Epistle of John
• Gaius: Service in Truth and Love 3 John 2-8
• Diotrephes: Evil by pride and strife 3 John 9-11
• Commendation of one (Demetrius) 3 John 12
• Parting words 3 John 13, 14
The Epistle of Jude: Contend for the Faith
• Why to Contend: Apostates Jude 3-16
– Their subtle perversions:
Jude 6,7
1) denying grace: turning it into lasciviousness;
2) denying our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
– Their certain doom: three historic examples:
• Egypt
• The Angels of Genesis 6!
• The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
– Their impious ways:
Three historic examples:
• Cain
• Balaam
• Korah
– Their utter falsity: six awful metaphors: hidden rocks, exploiting shepherds, clouds without water, trees without fruit, wild waves of the sea, wandering stars.
• How to Contend: Resources Jude 17-23
– Apostasy has been foretold
– Build, Pray, Keep, Watch…
– Support those who contend
Hebrew; Judah (one of the 12 sons of Jacob of Genesis).
Greek; Judas (“Jude” to differentiate from Judas Iscariot).
Jude was a half-brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3), an believer until after resurrection (John 7:3-5; Acts 1:14).
Predictions fulfilled: 13 quotes from 2nd Peter: Peter in future tense; Jude in past tense.
Certainty of Judgment
Jude 1:6,7
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation,
he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of
the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in
like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange
flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Enoch’s Prophecy
Jude 1:14, 15
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying,
Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute
judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all
their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their
hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
A prophecy of the Second Coming, uttered before the flood of Noah!
Jude 1:8,9
Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the
flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the
archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of
Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord
rebuke thee.
We are not to speak Evil of Dignities?
Similar to an allusion in the apocryphal Assumption of Moses.
...”Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of
Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord
rebuke thee.“...
• We are not to speak evil of Satan.
• Jesus Christ is in control.
Pauline Epistles
Romans Definitive Doctrines
1, 2 Corinthians Order in the Church
Galatians Law vs. Grace
Ephesians The Mystery of the Church
Philippians Resources in Suffering
Colossians Christ Pre-eminent
1, 2 Thessalonians The Second Coming
1, 2 Timothy Pastoral Advice
Titus Pastoral Advice
Philemon Intercessionary Example
Hebrew Christian Epistles
Hebrews The New Covenant
James Faith Demonstrated
1 Peter Persecuted Church
2 Peter Coming Apostasy
1 John Love
2 John False Teachers
3 John Preparation of Helpers
Jude Apostasy
The 7 Letters by Jesus Christ Himself
Ephesus.
Smyrna.
Pergamos.
Thyatira.
Sardis.
Philadelphia (modern Alasehir)
Laodicea.
Next Session: Review of Eschatology (“The Study of Last Things”).
Some basic issues: “Amillennial” or “Premillennial?” What is the “Rapture”?
“Pre-trib,” “Post-trib,” or “Mid-trib?” Does the Church go
through the Great Tribulation? Eschatology will challenge your hermeneutics:
precision of definitions, et al.
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